Indoor grilling appliance with flavor-infusion module

Abstract

A grilling appliance includes: a lower housing including a cooking surface; a lid overlying and spaced from the cooking surface to define a cooking cavity; a heating element positioned to heat the cooking surface; a power source operatively connected with the heating element; and a flavor-infusion module attached to at least one of the lower housing and the lid. The flavor-infusion module comprises: a smoke generation chamber; and a flavor-infusion conduit fluidly connected between the smoke generation chamber and the cooking cavity.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grilling appliance, comprising:
 a lower housing including a cooking surface;   a lid overlying and spaced from the cooking surface to define a cooking cavity;   a heating element positioned to heat the cooking surface;   a power source operatively connected with the heating element; and   a flavor-infusion module attached to at least one of the lower housing and the lid, the flavor-infusion module comprising:
 a smoke generation chamber; and 
 a flavor-infusion conduit fluidly connected between the smoke generation chamber and the cooking cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 1 , wherein the flavor-infusion module further comprises a fan in fluid communication with the smoke generation chamber and the flavor-infusion conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 1 , wherein the flavor-infusion module further comprises a filter between the smoke generation chamber and the flavor-infusion conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 1 , wherein the flavor-infusion module further comprises a cover, the cover being movable between an access position, in which a user has access to the flavor-infusion chamber, and an operating position, in which the user has no access to the flavor-infusion chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an infusion rack within the cooking cavity, the infusion rack being configured to take a raised position in which food resting on the infusion rack is located above and not in contact with the cooking surface during infusion. 
     
     
         6 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 5 , wherein the infusion rack is configured to move to a lowered position in the cooking cavity, such that food positioned above the infusion rack is in contact with the cooking surface. 
     
     
         7 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a selection device operatively connected with the heating element for controlling heat emanated by the heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 7 , further comprising a controller operatively connected with the selection device and the heating element. 
     
     
         9 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured and positioned to detect a temperature of at least one of the cooking cavity and the cooking surface. 
     
     
         10 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 7 , further comprising a controller operatively connected with the temperature sensor and the heating element. 
     
     
         11 . A grilling appliance, comprising:
 a lower housing including a cooking surface;   a lid overlying and spaced from the cooking surface to define a cooking cavity;   a heating element positioned to heat the cooking surface;   a power source operatively connected with the heating element; and   a flavor-infusion module attached to at least one of the lower housing and the lid, the flavor-infusion module comprising:
 a smoke generation chamber; 
 a blower chamber fluidly connected with the smoke generation chamber; 
 a flavor-infusion conduit fluidly connected between the blower chamber and the cooking cavity; and 
 a fan positioned in the blower chamber and in fluid communication with the smoke generation chamber and the flavor-infusion conduit. 
   
     
     
         12 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 11 , wherein the flavor-infusion module further comprises a filter between the smoke generation chamber and the flavor-infusion conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 11 , wherein the flavor-infusion module further comprises a cover, the cover being movable between an access position, in which a user has access to the flavor-infusion chamber, and an operating position, in which the user has no access to the flavor-infusion chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 11 , further comprising an infusion rack within the cooking cavity, the infusion rack being configured to take a raised position in which food resting on the infusion rack is located above and not in contact with the cooking surface during infusion. 
     
     
         15 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 14 , wherein the infusion rack is configured to move to a lowered position in the cooking cavity, such that food positioned above the infusion rack is in contact with the cooking surface. 
     
     
         16 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 11 , further comprising a selection device operatively connected with the heating element for controlling heat emanated by the heating element. 
     
     
         17 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 16 , further comprising a controller operatively connected with the selection device and the heating element. 
     
     
         18 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 14 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured and positioned to detect a temperature of at least one of the cooking cavity and the cooking surface. 
     
     
         19 . The grilling appliance defined in  claim 18 , further comprising a controller operatively connected with the temperature sensor and the heating element. 
     
     
         20 . A grilling appliance, comprising:
 a lower housing including a cooking surface, the cooking surface having a plurality of upwardly-extending ribs;   a lid overlying and spaced from the cooking surface to define a cooking cavity;   a heating element positioned to heat the cooking surface;   a power source operatively connected with the heating element;   a flavor-infusion module attached to at least one of the lower housing and the lid, the flavor-infusion module comprising:
 a smoke generation chamber; and 
 a flavor-infusion conduit fluidly connected between the smoke generation chamber and the cooking cavity; and 
   an infusion rack positioned within the cooking cavity, the infusion rack being configured to take a raised position above the ribs of the cooking surface so that food resting on the infusion rack is located above and not in contact with the cooking surface during infusion, the infusion rack being further configured to move to a lowered position in the cooking cavity, such that food positioned above the infusion rack is in contact with the ribs of the cooking surface and not in contact with the infusion rack.